LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 901, 15 May 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

HELEN WHITNEY'S WEDDING

By Johnny Ludlow ( Continued.)

' It's not Lord Riverside, then, who allows him the income ? '

' Bless you, Todhetley, no! ' spoke Sir John in a hurry, 'He says Biverside's as poor as a church mouse, and vegetates from year's end to year's end at his place in Scot land. It is Foliott the mine-owner down in the North. Stay 1 which is it, Betsey?— mine-owner, or mill-owner ? ' * Mill-owner, I think, said Lady Whitney. 'Hs is wonderfully rich, whichever it is ; and Captain Foliott will come into at least a hundred thousand pounds at his death.' Listening to all ihis as I stood on the balcony, looking at the grand beautiful panorama stretched out below, for they were talking at the open window, I dreamily thought what a good thing Helen was going to make of it. Later on, all this was confirmed, and we learnt a few additional particulars.

Mr Foliott, mill-owner and millionaire was a very great man in the North : employing thousands of hands. He was a good man, too, full of benevolence, always doing someth'ng or other to benefit his townspeople and his dependents. But his health has been failing of late, and he had now gone over to the Cape, the sea voyage having been advised by his doctors. He had never married, and Captain Foliott was his favourite nephew. ' It's not so bad, after all, is it, Johnny ?'

The words were whispered over my shoulder, and I started back to see the radiant face of Helen. She and Anna had come in unheard by mc, and had caught the thread of discourse in the room.

' I call it very good, Helen. I hope he is good too.' •You shall see,' she answered. 'He is coming up with William.' Her dark brown eyes were sparkling, the fresh healthy color shone on her cheeks. Miss Helen Whitney was satisfied with her bridegroom-to-be, and no mistake. She had forgotten all about her incipient liking for poor Slingsby Temple. ' What regiment is Captain Foliott in, Helen?' ' Not in any. He has sold out.'

' Sold out! ' ' His mother and his uncle made him do it. The detachment was ordered to India, and they would not let him go ; would not part with him ; begged and prayed of him to sell out. Nothing ever vexed him so much in his life, he says ; but what conld he do ? His mother has but him : and on Mr Foliott he is dependent for riches.' ' Entirely dependent ? ' ' For riches, I said, Johnny. He has himself bat a small competence. Ten thousand pounds nearly oomprises it. And that is to be settled on me.'

A slight bustle in the room, and we both looked round. Bill Whitney was noisily greeting Tod. Some one else had followed Bill through the door. A rather tall man with reddish hair and drooping reddish whiskers, bold handsome features, and a look I did not like in his eyes. Stepping over the window-sill from the balcony, they introduced him to me, Captain Bichard Foliott. ' I have heard much of Johnny Ludlow, said he, holding out his hand with a cordial smile, 'and lam glad to know him. I hope we shall soon be better acquainted.

I shook his hand and answered in kind. But I was not drawn to him; not a bit; rather repelled. The eyes were not nice; or the voice, either. It had not a true ring in it. Undeniably handsome he was, and I thought that the best that could be said. 'Look here; we are going for a stroll,' said John; ' you young people can come, or not, as you please. But if you go np the bill, remember that we dine at six o'clock. Once you get scampering about there, you forget the time.' He went out with the Squire. Lady Whitney had a letter to write, and sat down to do it; the rest of us stood, some on the balcony, some in the room; Helen, Tod, and Captain Foliott apparently trying which could talk the fastest.

' Why do you look at me so earnestly ?' suddenly demanded the latter. And it was to me he spoke. I laughed, and apologised; saying that his face put me in mind of some other face I had seen, but I could not remember whose. Which Avas true. It was true also that I had been looking at him more fixedly than the strict rules of society might require; but I had uot an idea that he saw me.

' I thought you might be wishing to take my portrait,' said the Captain, turning away to whisper to Helen. 'More likely to take your character.' jestingly stuck in Bill, with more zeal than discretion. Johnny Ludlow sees through everybody ; reads faces off like a book.' Captain Foliott wheeled sharply round at the words, and stood before me, his eyes gazing straight into mine. ' Can you read my face?' he asked. ' What do you see there ?' ' I see that you have been a soldier; your movements tell me that; right-about, face, quick, sharp,' answered I, turning the matter off with a jest. Tod opportunely struck in.

' How could you quit the army ?' he asked with emphasis. 'I only wish I had the chance of joining it.' But be knew that lie had better not let the Squire hear him say so. 'lt was a blow,' acknowledged Foliott, 'One docs meet with raps in this world. But, you see, it was a case of—of the indulgence of my own gratification weighed in the scale against that of my mother ; and I let my side go up. My uncle also came on wdth his arguments and his opposition, and altogether I found myself nowhere. I believe she and he are equally persuaded that nobody ever comes out of Inoia alive.' ' Who will take my letter to the post '.' called out Lady Whitney. And the whole lot of us volunteered to do it, and went out, together. We met Sir John and the Squire strolling about the village rubbing their red faces, and saying how intensely hot it was. They left us to regale ourselves at the pastrycook's, and sauntered lowards the dark trees shading that steep descent on which the hotel windows look out. We found them sitting on one of the benches there.

' Well, Foliott!' cried Sir John. ' You'd not have found it hotter than this in India.'

' Not so hot, Sir John. But I like heat.' ' How do you do ?' struck in a big, portly gentleman, who was sitting on the same bench as the Squire and Sir John, and whose face was even redder than theirs. ' Did not expect to meet you here.'

Captain Foliott, who was the one addressed, wheeled round to the t-peaker in that sharp way of his, and was evidently taken by surprise. His manner wa- cold ; never a smile sat on his face as he anwered

I ' Oh, is it you, Mr Crane ! Are you quite l well ? Staying at Malvern ? ' . ' For an hour or two. lam passing a few days at Worcester, and my friends there would not let me go on without first bringing me to see Malvern.' The stranger spoke like a gentleman, and looked like one, looked like a mau of substance also (though Foliott did draw down his lips that same evening and speak of him as ' nobody') ; and Sir John, in his oldfashioned cordiality, begged of Captain Foliott to introduce his friend. Captain Foliott did it with a not very ready grace. 'Mr Crane, Sir John Whitney; Mr Tedhetley.' ' A beautiful place, this, sirs,' cried he. ' Yes, only it's too hot to walk about today,'answered they. 'Have you been up the hill ?'

' No, I can't manage that; but my friends are gone up. Have you heard lately from your uncle, Captain Foliott ?' ' Not very lately.'

1 hear the outward voyage did him a world of good. ' I believe it did.' As if the questions of the stranger worried him, Captain Folio t strolled away towards the abbey : the two girls, Tod and William following him. 1 stayed where I was; not liking the heat much more than the Squire did.

' You know Mr Foliott of Milltown ?' observed Sir John to the stranger. ' I know him very will indeed, sir. lam a mill owner myself in the same place ; but not as large a one as he is.' 1 He is uncommonly rich, we hear,'

' Aye, he is. Could buy up pretty well half the world.' ' And a good man into the bargain ? 'Downright good. Honest, upright, liberal; a true Christian. He does an immense deal for his fellow men. Nobody ever asks hiui to put his Hand hit» his pocket in vain.' ' When is he expected home Y ' 'lam not sure when. That will depend, I expect, upon how he feels. But we hear the outward voyage has quite set him up.' (To he. conllimed.)